Bma Mandatory Network Agreement

The BMA Mandatory Network Agreement: What You Need to Know

The BMA (British Medical Association) Mandatory Network Agreement is a contract that outlines the terms of membership for GP practices in England. It was introduced in 2019 as part of the NHS Long Term Plan, which aims to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services across the country.

The agreement requires GP practices to join a primary care network (PCN), which is a group of local practices working together to provide enhanced services to patients. PCNs are intended to enable better primary care coordination, especially for patients with complex needs, and to support the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan.

Under the BMA Mandatory Network Agreement, GP practices must meet certain conditions to qualify for funding from NHS England. These include:

1. Being a member of a PCN with at least one other practice

2. Providing extended access to primary care services during evenings and weekends

3. Participating in shared management and clinical support functions with other PCN members

4. Supporting the delivery of personalised care for patients with long-term conditions

5. Coordinating with community services and other healthcare providers to deliver integrated care

GP practices that do not sign up to the BMA Mandatory Network Agreement may not be eligible for certain funding streams from NHS England, such as the Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service (DES). This could have a significant financial impact, as the DES provides extra funding for primary care networks to deliver enhanced services to patients.

It is worth noting that the BMA Mandatory Network Agreement has been met with some opposition from GP practices. Some argue that it imposes a one-size-fits-all approach to primary care, and that it could lead to the loss of autonomy for individual practices. However, supporters of the agreement argue that it is necessary to improve the quality and accessibility of primary care services across the country.

Overall, the BMA Mandatory Network Agreement is an important part of the NHS Long Term Plan, and it will have a significant impact on the way primary care is delivered in England. GP practices should be aware of their obligations under the agreement, and should work closely with other practices in their local area to ensure that they are providing the best possible care to their patients.